


Lights Above and Below

by pairatime



Category: Space: Above and Beyond
Genre: Gen, Grief/Mourning, Loss, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 17:48:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4531296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once they’re back on Earth Nate gets drunk and gives Cooper a scare.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lights Above and Below

**Author's Note:**

> Writing for dark bingo: Wild card (death)

“I’m glad you came with me, I don’t think I could have done this without you,” Nate said as he stumbled down the alley behind the bar they’d been drinking in.

“I’ll always be there for you, it’s what family does. Right West,” Cooper told Nate as he pulled the other man’s arm further over his shoulder to keep him upright.

“I miss them,” was all Nate said as he let Cooper drop him into the passenger side of the rental car.

“Me too,” Cooper agreed softly as he started it up and slowly headed down the road back toward Nate’s family home.

“Do you wish…that you would’ve died with them sometimes?” Cooper asked in a low tone as he glanced over at Nate once they’d left the noise of the city behind them.

“Yes, we should…I just wish we were the 58th again, whole,” Nate answered while taking a swig from the bottle he’s kept from the bar. “Do you ever…joining them,” Nate added giving Cooper a sideways glance.

Cooper just frowned as he cast a sideways glance at Nate as he tried to keep his eyes forward as the roads got smaller and darker. “We can’t join them West, they died,” he said at last.

“Damn it Coop, I’m talking about killing yourself, suicide,” Nate barked as he pushed himself more upright, “didn’t they teach you tanks anything.”

“You mean joining them in heaven or something…but what if there isn’t one. Or what if In Vitro’s can’t get in, since we aren’t born like everyone else?” Cooper asked feeling confused as he watched Nate.

“It’s real, it has to be. We have to be able to see them again. Them, my brother, I couldn’t….it had to be real,” Nate said firmly, “and they’d be dumb not to let you in Cooper. You’ve earned it,” he added.

Cooper didn’t answer and the car fell into silence for a short while until just before they were about to make the final turn toward the West’s place when Nate stopped him.

“Don’t, go to the next road,” he directed as he pointed to a small dirt road that was just visible at the edge of the head lights.

“Ah, okay,” Cooper said as he drove to the small back road and turned on to it, slowing down as the car bounced on the dirt and gravel. “Where does this go?” he asked after a few minutes.

“One of the best views ever,” Nate answered just as the car came around a clump of trees and reached the end of the road.

It ended near the edge of a cliff that overlooked the city below. The lights of which were almost as bright as the stars above.

“Wow,” was all Cooper said as he got out of the car and walked into the middle of the clearing, alternating between looking up at the stars and down at the city’s lights. “It’s very pretty.”

“Yeah it’s a great view,” Nate said as he stumbled from the car and headed toward the cliff. “The view from the edge is great,” he added as he neared it.

“West, I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Cooper told him as he watched how unsteadily Nate was as he got closer to the cliff, “Nate, STOP,” he shouted as Nate reached the ledge and seemed to look over.

Cooper had grabbed Nate by the mid-section and was pulling him back, which just ended with them both falling to the ground, before he’s even finished his shout. “I can’t be alone, don’t leave,” Cooper said into Nate’s shoulder as he locked his arms tighter as Nate struggled. “…without you too…”

But then Nate stopped and seemed to lean against Cooper, “Coop I wasn’t, I didn’t mean…I’m not going anywhere,” he said slowly before just tilting back his head, resting it on Cooper’s chest, and looking up at the stars above, “I just wanted to enjoy the view.”

“We can enjoy it from here,” Cooper said firmly as he leaned back, taking Nate with him, until they were lying on the ground looking up. “Here is just fine.”

“You’re right Coop, it is,” Nate agreed.


End file.
